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Help Please Jeep Cherokee won't start No Spark

Hi:

I've got a 1996 Jeep Cherokee. 4.0 with a standard transmission. I parked her a couple of nights ago and she wouldn't start up again. I checked for spark and got none. (Hopefully I'm doing that properly) I checked for and found no loose wires. I looked at the Distributor Cap and rotor. Both appear to be fine. They were both changed two weeks ago along with the new plugs and wires.

My first instinct was the electronic control module. According to Jeep, this model does not have a module. Instead, it uses an onboard computer module. At almost $500, I'm not crazy about swapping that out unless I know its really at fault. For kicks, I put on a new coil. No change.

I spoke to a mechanic who suggested a Transmission Sensor ( I think thats what he said...)Couldn't find reference to it in the Haynes manual I have.

I'm about ready to have it pulled into the shop. Before I do, I thought I'd check to see if any of you folks had any ideas.

Up till now (6.5 yearrs 185K miles) she has run flawlessly. I mentioned earlier that I had just changed the plugs, rotor, cap and wires. She ran well for a week or so. Then *poof*

Any idea's would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Tom

Reply to
Tom Russell
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Reply to
Will Honea

Reply to
Ron K

Cool. THAT is what the mechanic guy said. I'll give it a try.

Thank you very much.

TWR

Reply to
Tom Russell

No luck. Sent it to a the shop. No luck there either. They say that there is no power getting to this switch or to the onboard computer. They are probing for loose wires etc.

Damn

TWR

Reply to
Tom Russell

When my `89 Cherokee 4.0L won't start, I'll unplug the sensor, replug it and then I'm good to go for several months. I'm told 1) that it tends to get confused after oil changes and that 2) Jeep knew that it was a problem and issued a fix that didn't make it better.

Reply to
Lee Ayrton

The ground strap from the engine to firewall supply the power.

Mine went ratty and it acted like a dead CPS.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Tom Russell wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

The ground strap from the engine to firewall supply the power.

Mine went ratty and it acted like a dead CPS.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Tom Russell wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

On 27 Oct 2003 17:42:33 -0800, the following appeared in rec.autos.makers.jeep+willys, posted by snipped-for-privacy@ix.netcom.com (Tom Russell):

"No power to the computer" usually beats the hell out of "dead computer".

Reply to
Bob Casanova

I remember some time ago, I had a similar problem on a 97 XJ. What happened my kid left the interior light on and it drained the batter. The onboard computer lost in program. I had to start it like a old carburator vehicle, pumping the gas, and reving it up to keep it running for about 3 or 4 minutes untill the ROM downloaded the program back to the computer - which controls the fuel, etc.

Jeep told me this. I esentially re-booted my car.

Odd thing. I've completely drainded my battery in the past, and didn't have this happen.

So try charing the battery way up, hop in, pump the gas a few times, hold the pedal down turn it over, if it sputters and tries, this may be the problem. Keep at it, mine stalled many times trying to keep it running. I ended up having to vary the pedal the entire time.

Mike

Reply to
MikeG

Its always the CPS when there is no spark. Just replace it. Even it it isnt the problem its probably a good idea. KH

Reply to
Kevin in San Diego

Ya right....

I changed my CPS and the prick stalled again 10 feet later.

Mine was an almost dead ground strap from the engine head to the firewall cutting out the spark.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Kev>

Reply to
Mike Romain

Mike Romain did pass the time by typing:

Yep. I rilly should put a diagnosics page up that says

Step 1) Run a jumper cable between the engine and a good frame ground Step 2) Clean the connectors Step 3) ...

Those dang braided ground strap causes all sorts of problems.

Reply to
DougW

LOL why did I know Mike was gonna say the ground strap. KH

Reply to
Kevin in San Diego

Ahh, it must be soo nice to live out of the salt belt..... ;-)

Anything up here that acts up now and then usually is corrosion related....

I have fixed a pile of Jeeps and other vehicles with weird shit going on by making sure the grounds were there. Both of my Jeeps for instance...

Sometimes that is a real sneaky one folks don't think about often. Hey it even got me good on the Cherokee...

Maybe I should just add it to my sig line?

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's Hey, did you check your groundstrap today eh?

Kev>

Reply to
Mike Romain

:) now thats a good idea. KH

Reply to
Kevin in San Diego

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